We're all going to live longer than previous official estimates

Researchers have taken another look at estimates on how life expectancy will change and have found that most people will live longer than currently thought.

The scientists say official forecasts underestimate how long people will live and that this means we haven’t adequately anticipated the need for more investment in health, social services and aged pensions.

The study, published in the medical journal the Lancet, used death records including data on age, sex, and postcode, from 1981 to 2012 to forecast life expectancy at birth for 375 districts in England and Wales.

In Australia, male life expectancy rose to 80.1 in 2013 from 79.9 in 2012, while female life expectancy at birth remained steady at 84.3 years.

The UK estimates look ahead to 2030.

The researchers at Imperial College London predict that life expectancy nationally will increase for men from 79.5 years in 2012 to 85.7 in 2030, and for women from 83.3 in 2012 to 87.6 in 2030.

The longevity gap between men and women has been closing for nearly half a century and will continue to get narrower.

The UK forecasts for 2030 are higher than official estimates by 2.4 years for men and 1.0 year for women.